How would a federal funding pause affect Franklin County schools, towns, organizations?

USA Today

29-01-2025

How would a federal funding pause affect Franklin County schools, towns, organizations?
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Judge halts President Trump's pause on federal aid money
A judge paused the Donald Trump's order to "temporary pause" certain federal assistance until at least Feb. 3, when another hearing will be held.
Organizations, school districts, municipalities and other entities in Franklin County have a lot riding on the outcome of President Donald Trump's decision Monday to pause the distribution of federal aid.
News outlets around the country reported communities were in a state of chaos and confusion following the sudden announcement that most federal grants, loans and other aid would go unfunded while agencies determined how they aligned with the administration's agenda.
While a federal judge halted the funding pause through at least Feb. 3 in an order Tuesday afternoon, questions still remain about the impacts.
Public schools in Franklin County
Even if the funding pause goes into effect, public schools should feel little to no impact this school year.
Chambersburg Area School District Superintendent Chris Bigger shared information he received from the Pennsylvania School Board Association stating Title 1 (which provides funding to schools serving low-income families) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (requiring free public education for disabled children) would not be affected because they have already been funded.
The school board association said Head Start programs — which is known as First Start Partnerships for Children and Families in Franklin County — would not be affected by a pause in federal funding, according to Biggers.
Waynesboro Area School District will dip into its fund balance if it is necessary to make up for any money lost due to a pause in federal funding, according to Superintendent Rita Sterner-Hine.
"Unanticipated changes to a school district's revenues during the fiscal year creates challenges. For the Waynesboro Area School District, nearly all of our $1.4 million in federal funding supports teaching and instructional positions across all six of our schools," Sterner-Hine wrote in an email. "During an interim pause in funding, Waynesboro is positioned to use its fund balance to continue supporting those positions until the funding is renewed. However, the fund balance reflects one-time funds, and we must be cognizant that it is difficult to replenish the fund balance once it has been depleted."
She also noted that any stoppage in federal funding would exacerbate problems WASD already deals with due to being underfunded. Pennsylvania's Basic Education Funding Commissioner determined Waynesboro needs $24 million more annually be considered "adequately funded," Sterner-Hine said.
In Greencastle-Antrim School District, Superintendent Lura Hanks said she had no comment on Tuesday as officials were still working out to determine the impact of the funding pause.
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Chambersburg Police Department
In the Borough of Chambersburg, the police department could be affected if a grant the borough was awarded in September goes unfunded.
Borough Manager Jeff Stonehill told the Public Opinion he received an email from the U.S. Department of Justice around noon Tuesday that disbursements of the Community Oriented Policing (COPS) grant was temporarily on hold.
"We will continue to monitor this situation," he wrote in an email. "In the meantime, the one police officer partially funded by the grant remains on the Borough payroll, and seeing as it is a reimbursement type grant his employment will not be impacted by this pause. We have sufficient resources to pay his payroll for the foreseeable future."
Through the COPS grant, the borough is to receive $125,000 over three years, which creates a savings of $41,000 for the borough, according to information shared at a Borough Council meeting in September.
Stonehill said authorities were otherwise unsure of the impact.
"We don't utilize too many federal grants. We have a US Department of Transportation grant for the Gas Utility, a US Army Corps of Engineering grant for Southgate, a US Department of Justice COPS Grant for the Police Department, and of course we are a US Department of Housing and Urban Development direct entitlement community. We also have a pending application for FEMA flood control but that hasn't been approved yet.," he said.
More: Franklin County Jail collaborates with ICE to ensure handover of undocumented inmates
Development projects in Franklin County
Even if the federal funding pause is reinstated, new development projects in Franklin County should be unhindered.
"While we have several projects that we are working on, none involve federal funding," Franklin County Area Development Corp. President Mike Ross said.
Emails sent to the Franklin County commissioners office and the South Central Community Action Program, which helps people access federal assistance, was not returned on Tuesday.
Amber South can be reached at [e-mail].